By Alexander Panetta
OTTAWA (CP) - The federal Tories will yank their anti-Liberal attack ads from Quebec's French-language airwaves during the imminent provincial election, party officials indicated Monday.
Critics of the televised ads - including their main target, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion - have argued that they would help the separatist Parti Quebecois. With a provincial campaign kick-off expected this week for a March 26 election, the Tories hope to allay such concerns.
"We have no intention of interfering with the provincial campaign in any way, shape or form," party spokesman Ryan Sparrow said when asked about the ads.
"We won't be interfering or having any impact on a provincial campaign."
The province's federalist Liberal government is seeking re-election, and the Tory ads refer prominently to federal Liberal scandals.
But the Tories insist the decision to pull their three French-language ads has nothing to do with concerns they might boost PQ fortunes.
They say they've done extensive focus group testing that show viewers clearly distinguish an attack on federal Liberals from one on Quebec Liberal Premier Jean Charest.
The Conservatives say they will temporarily shelve the ads only because they'll be less effective during a provincial election, when Quebecers are focused on provincial politics.
The ads will continue running in English and will resume in Quebec after the provincial election.
Dion has repeatedly called on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to withdraw the French-language spots, not just because of the Quebec election but because he says they're dishonest.
"He should do the honourable thing and withdraw these very, very negative ads that are so unfair," Dion said again Monday in Toronto.
"If he's an honourable man, he will do the honourable thing."
He has been particularly critical of one French-language ad that refers to the RCMP investigating ex-Liberal minister Ralph Goodale's entourage.
The RCMP last week announced charges against one Finance Department bureaucrat in the income-trust investigation but cleared Goodale, his entire political staff, and the highest-level departmental mandarins.
Copyright © 2007 Canadian Press
OTTAWA (CP) - The federal Tories will yank their anti-Liberal attack ads from Quebec's French-language airwaves during the imminent provincial election, party officials indicated Monday.
Critics of the televised ads - including their main target, Liberal Leader Stephane Dion - have argued that they would help the separatist Parti Quebecois. With a provincial campaign kick-off expected this week for a March 26 election, the Tories hope to allay such concerns.
"We have no intention of interfering with the provincial campaign in any way, shape or form," party spokesman Ryan Sparrow said when asked about the ads.
"We won't be interfering or having any impact on a provincial campaign."
The province's federalist Liberal government is seeking re-election, and the Tory ads refer prominently to federal Liberal scandals.
But the Tories insist the decision to pull their three French-language ads has nothing to do with concerns they might boost PQ fortunes.
They say they've done extensive focus group testing that show viewers clearly distinguish an attack on federal Liberals from one on Quebec Liberal Premier Jean Charest.
The Conservatives say they will temporarily shelve the ads only because they'll be less effective during a provincial election, when Quebecers are focused on provincial politics.
The ads will continue running in English and will resume in Quebec after the provincial election.
Dion has repeatedly called on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to withdraw the French-language spots, not just because of the Quebec election but because he says they're dishonest.
"He should do the honourable thing and withdraw these very, very negative ads that are so unfair," Dion said again Monday in Toronto.
"If he's an honourable man, he will do the honourable thing."
He has been particularly critical of one French-language ad that refers to the RCMP investigating ex-Liberal minister Ralph Goodale's entourage.
The RCMP last week announced charges against one Finance Department bureaucrat in the income-trust investigation but cleared Goodale, his entire political staff, and the highest-level departmental mandarins.
Copyright © 2007 Canadian Press
